S03E08: 'Human Nature'

Adapted by Paul Cornell from his own Doctor Who novel ‘Human Nature’, this gripping episode is based on a superb premise – The Doctor turning human, losing his memory and gaining some serious mojo.

The tone of the adventure is brilliantly conveyed through the solemn, earthy colours throughout the episode, while David Tennant excels at playing naïve schoolteacher John Smith. His bafflement at experiencing a series of cosmic dreams is a joy to watch, alongside his hilarious embarrassment at being courted by Joan (Jessica Hynes).

Set in a school, there was always the danger that young actors could come across as annoying or overwhelmingly mannered in the pre-World War One setting, but the juvenile cast all nail their roles, particularly Thomas Sangster as the mysterious Latimer.

One small quibble is with the introduction of the scarecrow menace. They look the part and are well designed to exude a thoroughly sinister air, but the scene in which they come to life sadly lacked a certain tension and ingenuity. Think of the iconic entrances made by the Sea Devils from the seas, or the Autons emerging from the high street stores in 1970’s ‘Spearhead from Space’, and you can see how an opportunity was missed to capture the scarecrows stalking the fields.

Regardless, the credit for the episode lies with Cornell, who crafted a superb story that subverts what we’ve become accustomed to and weaves in some tantalising narratives, including the fate of Latimer. With such a tense cliffhanger, the concluding part of this story has a lot to live up to.